


Can Only Stumble

by UisceOneLove



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, An embarrassed Arthur is a cute Arthur, And yes I insinuated Morgana likes Leon, Arthur has many feels, Confused Merlin, DEAL WITH IT, Happy, I NEEDED THIS, I love Arthur when he's flustered, M/M, Merlin and Gwen are awesome BFFs, Snarky Merlin, cuteness, happy feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-27
Updated: 2015-05-27
Packaged: 2018-04-01 11:38:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4018342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UisceOneLove/pseuds/UisceOneLove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin can't seem to enjoy his day off when Arthur orders for him. When he gets to the prince's chambers, however, there's a lovely surprise he hadn't at all expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can Only Stumble

**Author's Note:**

> I have so many ships for this show but Merthur will always be my OTP/BroTP.  
> Enjoy the cuteness.

Merlin was happy to say that Camelot has lived through an undisturbed peace for the last few weeks. He knows better than to look a gift horse in the mouth and does his best not to be the one to cause the next onslaught of conflict in the castle walls. The sorcerer goes through his days doing what a normal physician’s aid would, following Gauis on house calls or delivering remedies when the elder was tired. 

Then there were the ridiculous chores Arthur liked to give out to him. Merlin had a suspicion that the prince enjoyed seeing him suffer.

Merlin never complained, though. He grew to like the normalcy of chores. It was better than the alternatives, and it meant if he finished early he could relax and read a book or two.

It was his day off. Even in these moments of peace it was rare for him to be given one since Arthur always had something he needed done. Normally this would have been a perfect time for sleeping in or practicing some newer incantations Gauis told him about, but Merlin decided instead to spend it with Guinevere down at the market.

“So if you’re down here with me, then where is Arthur supposed to be?” She asked. They’d kept the conversation general up until then, but even Gwen was curious when things like this happened.

Merlin shrugged and leaned against the stall’s post while his friend looked over some cheap jewelry. He didn’t see her as the kind of girl to wear any besides a bracelet or the pendant her father gave her.

“Most likely working with the knights.” He replied. “Possibly coming to a realization he can’t do anything without me.”

Gwen laughed, looking up at him with amusement. “I believe he did plenty on his own before you came along, Merlin.”

“But now he’s had me for so long that he won’t be able to do such things again without my help.” He informed. This solicited another laugh from the maiden. “Besides, I say he’s changed since I first came here.”

“He has.” She agreed. 

“Less pompous and bratty. Now there’s actually some care behind his ego.”

“Don’t let him here you say that.”

“Arthur’s heard me say worse.” Merlin snorted.

“One day he is going to have you punished in a worse way than the stocks.” Gwen sighed, moving them along to the next row of stalls.

“Guinevere! Merlin!”

The friends turned around to see Sir Leon making his way to them. As per usual, the man’s scruff made him look handsome (something that Gwen has relayed to him endlessly thanks to Morgana), and he was in his knight attire. What wasn’t like usual was the lack of perspiration that would occur at this time of day from the knights training with Arthur.

“Good day to you, Leon.” Gwen greeted.

“And to you, Gwen.” He returned. “I’m sorry to bother you, but Arthur sent me to fetch Merlin.”

“I told you he was helpless without me.” Merlin looked smugly at Gwen. “What is it, he needs help changing again? Does he need another notch in his belt? I told him to cut off on the sweets.”

“He wouldn’t say.” Leon looked amused even with the worried crinkles around his eyes. Just demanded to bring you at once.”

Merlin sighed, so much for having a day off.

“Well this was fun,” he started, flashing Gwen a smile, “but it appears I’m required somewhere else. I better go see what the Royal Highness wants before he puts me in the stocks for taking too long to get to him.”

“I shall keep my fingers crossed I won’t see you covered in produce later.” Gwen promised.

“A comforting thought, Gwen,” Merlin sighed. He bid his friends farewell and took the path up to the castle. This better be an emergency or else he might be severely tempted to leave Arthur with donkey ears to show what an arse he really is.

Merlin could hear the band of merry knights when he got up to the castle. Gwaine and Percival were at the head of the group as they changed out of their armor, playing yet another game of ‘keep away’ with Elyan. The sorcerer couldn’t help but hang around for a few seconds to watch. It always made him feel horribly better when he wasn’t the target of anyone’s jokes or teasing. Especially when Arthur and Percival are involved, then it just gets close to being cruel.

It was still a reluctant choice when he continued on his way. Stupid clotpole ruining his day off. Not even Gauis had been so evil! When he got to Arthur’s chambers he knocked on the wooden doors, if only to be polite.

“Enter!” Arthur called out from the other side. Merlin sighed and pushed open the door.

He took in the sight of the nicely set up table and lavish food that would normally be saved for the Pendragon meals, then looked up at a pacing prince with an arched brow.

“Must you always keep me waiting, Merlin?” Arthur demanded as the pacing came to a halt.

“You do realize that it takes some time to actually get here from the market, don’t you?” Merlin countered.

“When you take your time, yes.”

“How was I supposed to know that this was an urgent matter?”

“Well it _is_ your day off.” Arthur replied dully.

“So you _do_ remember,” Merlin stepped further into the chambers to inspect the food. He was getting hungry by the second looking at it all; roasted beef, rich gooey looking cheese, pudding, freshly roasted garlic bread. “Who’s the lucky lady? I’m assuming I’m supposed to wait on the date? Or is this some clothing emergency? Need your armor shined?"

“For Christ’s sake, Merlin, just sit down!” he demanded.

Merlin blinked in surprise before his brows furrowed. “Am I missing something?” he asked slowly, footsteps cautious as he did Arthur a favor and obeyed.

There were very few times Merlin has ever seen Arthur flustered like this. It didn’t help that he didn’t even know what he had done this time to warrant it, or what it is at all. And it wasn’t any help at all that there was an irresistible meal right in front of him, either. Merlin was at a complete loss watching as Arthur paced again before dropping himself into the seat across the table from Merlin.

“You’d think I would be perfectly capable of behaving around you.” The prince groaned.

“When have you ever behaved around me?” Merlin arched a brow. “I believe we’ve both done nothing but misbehave, just in different forms.”

“That’s not what I meant, Merlin.”

“Then what _do_ you mean?”

“I mean that I’ve bloody well told you how I’ve found you to be irrevocably irritating yet I can’t seem to tell you anything else,” Arthur said in frustration.

“I’m sorry, I recall a lot of times where you’ve told me a lot more than that.” The sorcerer replied flatly, starting to get up. “If you’re through playing dunce then I’d like to get back to Gwen and enjoy the rest of my day off. Enjoy your date with whichever maiden or lady you’ve charmed this week.”

“ _You_ are the date, Merlin.”

Merlin stared; body halfway crouched. Of all the things to hear Arthur Pendragon say, that was not one of them. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

“Are you really going to make me repeat it?” he asked warily, giving Merlin a look.

“Considering I’m beginning to think I either have an ailment or you’re under some kind of enchantment, yes, I think I’d like you to repeat it.”

Arthur’s look turned into one he proudly knew too well. So maybe the prince was still himself.

“I had the kitchen prepare this for…us.” Arthur said again, looking like the admission was sending him into distress. It would be funny if Merlin wasn’t in the middle of going into shock. “I set this date up because for some reason I can’t fathom, I have feelings for you. I must have been driven insane.”

How did Merlin never see that? He’s around Arthur practically every second of the day! He _knows_ Arthur, so how did he  not know about this?!

He must have been staring like a dunce because Arthur turned away and pinched the bridge of his nose before saying, “For God’s sake, Merlin, say something, that’s what you’re good at.”

That is not at all lost on him. But this seems to be a fairly good exception, because his words are completely lost at the moment.

Merlin cleared his throat and his mouth worked itself very similar to that of a fish before he could finally come up with something to respond with.

“How…how long have you…?” see, even now he was searching for the right words!

“It might have been since I saw how much you cared about your friend Will.” He admitted.

The sorcerer blinked in surprise before it turned into even more confusion. A spike of emotion hit but he swallowed it down. “What did Will…?”

“You protected his secret.” Arthur explained. “You were dedicated to him like a good friend should be, even when it came to how I’ve viewed sorcery. As much as it felt like a betrayal you kept it from me, I knew you would give me the same courtesy if I held any secrets.”

Merlin was yet again unsure where to go with that. He hadn’t ever considered this possible of happening, so much so that he never let himself consider how he’s been slowly feeling towards the prince.

“And…” the blond continued, albeit reluctantly, “it might have also made me—or Morgana since she was the one to point it out relentlessly to me—a little bit…jealous.”

A smirk slowly formed on the sorcerer’s face. “Jealous?” he asked in amusement. “The great Arthur Pendragon was jealous that his manservant was close to a peasant?”

“Don’t make it sound awful.” Arthur groaned, slouching in his seat. “But yes. I was jealous. You and Will were close, he knew you longer, and he died because he wanted to help you.”

“He died helping our home.” Merlin corrected but still let his smirk grew.

“Just turn me down and go, Merlin, so I can get through my humiliation privately.” He demanded.

“Just hold on, I want to soak this in.” The brunet pushed his chair back and stood up. He made his way down the table at leisured pace, enjoying seeing the prince squirm.

“I’ll send you to the stalks.” Arthur threatened.

“You’ve waited to for months to tell me you like me.” He continued without missing a beat. “I mean, I know why you’d never want the King to know, but _me_? If Morgana gets to know, then I of all people should have been allowed to know instead of having to try moving on by almost running away from Camelot with a girl I just met!”

“You almost left Camelot?” Arthur straightened up, staring wide-eyed at the sorcerer.

“And I did actually have real feelings for Freya, but you stupid stubborn clotpole!” Merlin went on. “I should really just tell you to shove it, but I’ve still been willingly putting my life on the line for you several times all because of the fact a prophecy led me to fall in love with you!”

The two stayed in their places, staring at each other for a moment or two. Merlin had lost where he was going with that, probably said a lot more than he needed to. He was looking for a place to continue or restart while Arthur just stared with those piercing eyes.

“Merlin,” Arthur said calmly.

“Yes, Sire?”

“Did you say you love me?”

“That I did, yes.”

“Just making sure.”

Merlin probably should have expected the kiss when Arthur grabbed him by the neckerchief and pulled him down into one. It was still welcomed, though, and it felt like something that had a long time coming. It was soft, not at all rushed, and it did something to him that made his legs feel like they were going to fall out from under him. In a good way, of course. Definitely a good way.

“Do you have anymore bumbling to do, or can we have this date now?” Arthur questioned as he ended the kiss and sat back.

“No, I think all my bumbling is done for now.” Merlin shook his head. He grabbed his plate and drink to slide them closer before sitting by the prince. This could be a good way to spend his day off.


End file.
